About Jeff

JEFF “JETT” BRANAMAN has been a pastor since 2006 and is the founder of Pits to Purpose, a ministry dedicated to helping people discover God’s purpose for their lives. His love for racing began in Phoenix, Arizona, when he was just six years old, and that passion continued into adulthood.

A failed marriage exposed deep character flaws, bringing Jeff to the end of himself. It was there that he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and began his own journey from the pits of life to a life of purpose.

Years later, while racing a sprint car, Jeff hit the retaining wall and flipped violently, suffering a traumatic brain injury that ended his racing career. The perseverance required to overcome those life-changing events gave him a deep compassion for people who are hurting and searching for hope.

Today, Jeff and his wife, Deanna, lead Pits to Purpose, encouraging people to know Christ, grow in their faith, and go live with purpose. 

Through speaking, mentoring, and biblical teaching, their passion is to help others move beyond simply surviving and learn how to truly thrive. 

I consider myself to be a trophy of God's grace.

Through multiple tragedies when I was young, I had wounds I didn't know how to name. For years I searched for acceptance, love and significance in places that could never satisfy. While I experienced successes in work, I continued to make my share of bad choices in my personal life. I didn’t realize how God could change not only my heart, but my life.

God met me right where I was, not after I had everything together, but while He was putting the pieces back together. Through His incredible patience and grace, He healed wounds, renewed my mind, and taught me what it truly means to follow Jesus. The woman I am today is not the result of getting everything right; it is the result of a faithful God who never gave up on me.

Though this, God has given me a heart for people who feel forgotten, wounded, ashamed, or convinced they've gone too far. I know what it feels like to believe your past has disqualified you. I also know the freedom that comes from discovering that Jesus specializes in redeeming broken lives.

For more than 20 years, God has allowed me to serve in ministry as a worship pastor, teacher, and mentor. Yet my greatest qualification isn't my experience—it's God's grace. Everything He has allowed me to walk through has become part of the message I now share with others.

No matter what your past holds, God is able to redeem it. Your greatest failures do not have to define your future. In Christ, there is always hope, always healing, and always purpose.

Pits to Purpose was born from one simple truth: God still redeems broken lives. 

We are passionate about helping people know Jesus, grow in spiritual maturity, and discover the unique purpose God has for their lives. We believe discipleship is more than gaining knowledge—it's allowing Christ to transform every area of our hearts so we can become more like Him.

Our ministry includes biblically based, practical support for people navigating difficult seasons. Everything we do is centered on one goal: helping people move from surviving to thriving through a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

We don't claim to have all the answers. We're simply two people whose lives have been transformed by God's grace and who now have the privilege of walking alongside others as He continues writing their stories.